AIBU to say it's Abuse not Porn (may be triggering)

[RenameTheShame]

AIBU to think that if it involves children, it is not pornographic images, it is images of child sex abuse and the media should name it as such.

Are there any existing resources that promote the use of the term child sex abuse and not child pornography and why this matters that can be linked to when the term is used in the media

Are there any template letters that can be used to contact media using the term?

Are there any campaigns already addressing this?

And if not, anyone interested in starting something?

(I have name changed for this)

Apologies if triggering, I am just getting increasingly cross about the way this is reported.

I always hate the term "Sex toys". I don't think sexual aids are "toys".

Yeah it’s a thing. In our force we call it images of CSA for the reasons you stated!

Yanbu in the slightest

The term child pornography instantly turns my stomach as does child sex abuse images. The relevant connotations are there... a child in a sexual situation... which instantly makes me think they've been forced, which instantly makes me think they are being abused.

I can see where you are coming from with daily use of the word porn desensitising us to regular pornography and making it more socially acceptable. I can see that. But in the case of child pornography, the two words together instantly make me recoil in horror and revulsion.

I, personally, do not need that clarification.

Are you campaigning for this for others who are not so clear cut (I find it hard to imagine there are those who are(aside from paedophiles) but I'm happy to be told otherwise)? Do you think that people who are possibly thinking of entering into that dark world need clarification? Or do you not think that people who are potential paedophiles will seek it out anyway regardless of the term?

Thanks for everyone's comments.

It's not that I think people hear the term child pornography and think that it is okay, but yes I think because the term pornography isn't explicitly linked to illegal activities in the same way it does desensitise or minimise or make it sound like a passive act to a certain extent.

YANBU
To me the term pornography implies that both parties were willing participants ( I know adult pornography can still be extremely exploitative)
Child sexual abuse and indecent images of children is a far more accurate and hard hitting description.

Can I ask people voting YABU, is it because like some comments you don't think it is necessary because the term child pornography is sufficiently appalling, or if there is another reason IABU

I completely agree, I was reading an article only the other day, thinking why isn't it called sexual abuse of children, not pornographic images of children. It is disgusting either way but using the word porn is very misleading.
If you start a template or petition I will happily support it.

I think we have a wonderfully rich language and the more precisely we can use it, the clearer our communication. "Images of child sexual abuse" is absolutely clear and precise and has none of the potential connotations of the acceptability of porn.

There is another thread running in AIBU at the moment where some of the posters would have you believe the vast majority of porn is produced using completely willing participants who have made a valid career choice, rather than it being rife with abuse, trafficking, coercion and drugs. If that is even a small number of people's perception of porn, then we should be wasting no time in decoupling the word from 'child' and pulling no punches in spelling out in clear and precise detail what the reality of so-called 'child porn' is.

OP I'd support you in any such campaign so if there is letter writing or whatever that can be done, PM me and I'm happy to get involved.

Thanks again for everyone's comments, really helpful to think about.

I think for now I will draft something to email to papers when they use the term and also may think about contacting the new Victims' Commissioner, who has already spoken about porn. (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/deepfake-and-revenge-porn-laws-victims-commissioner_uk_5d1d0114e4b0f312567e1ee2)

I will post my draft when I've done it in case anyone feels like commenting (or using themselves of course)

And any more comments also welcome

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/deepfake-and-revenge-porn-laws-victims-commissioner_uk_5d1d0114e4b0f312567e1ee2

I have spent my entire adult life working with both perpetrators and victims of sexual abuse and currently work with children in a Safeguarding role. Anyone who works in my field, the Police, Children's Social care, Children's Mental Heath or similar already knows that it is "images of child sexual abuse". The term "child pornography" is not considered acceptable terminology and hasn't been for some time. Similarly, it is now considered inappropriate for professionals who work with young people to talk about "child prostitutes", we only talk about victims of Child Sexual Exploitation. As with many things, it takes the media a while to catch up.

Those saying "what difference does it make?" It makes a huge difference actually. It is well known that paedophiles convicted of possessing and distributing indecent images of children will often justify and minimise this behaviour with thinking along the lines of "but I'm only looking, I'm not the one doing it". They will say things like "I've never actually hurt a child". "Looking at these pictures/videos to satisfy my urges stops me actually doing anything". They don't want to confront the reality that by viewing those images they are absolutely complicit in the real life abuse of real children. Calling it "porn" normalises their behaviour ("everyone looks at porn, I just look at a certain type of porn" is one I've heard more than once) allows them to dehumanise the children involved. Calling it "downloading and/or distributing images of child sexual abuse" forces perpetrators to confront the seriousness of their crimes and the harm done.

Children can't make or feature in "pornography" because that would require consent and they can't consent due to their age so they are unequivocally victims of sexual abuse. But they often don't see themselves as such because they have been manipulated and groomed by their abusers to believe they are at fault. "You let me film you, so you must have liked it" or "if you tell anyone about us, your mum and dad are going to find out you sent me those pictures" etc. They may also have been groomed to believe that they are in a loving relationship and that this is just what you do in a relationship, you send each other intimate images, it's "normal". I've heard a 12 year old boy refer to a man in his 30's as "my partner" because that's what he was groomed to believe. My point is, the words of their abusers have a powerful and extremely damaging impact on children so it's important that the media and the people around them call these images what they really are. Words matter, they are psychologically powerful and they do make a difference.

Sorry for the essay but this is something I feel very strongly about.

Please don't apologise for 'the essay' Minister. Yours and several other posts have articulated brilliantly and clearly why this matters, so thank you

I came on to say the police would never / should never use the terminology Child Porn - it’s completely inappropriate. I don’t need to add any further since it’s already been adequately explained

Brilliant post Minister.

I agree; I always correct people when they say child porn but if the media didn’t use it then people would think of it as a less acceptable thing to say.
Porn is entirely different to child sex abuse images

@MinisterforCheekyFuckery

I feel like your post should be sent to the BBC.

Minister's post was particularly awesome and I suspect that significant chunks of it will be used in my intended drafts, if that isn't too cheeky...